Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-10-05
"I tell you," repeated John Beer, II
seen him. It was the evening before and

was 10 Dlame.
"The window was open. Ths captain
was reading by the light Of pair Of can
dies. heard steps at the back Of the
house crunching the gravel. Then I
heard a knock at the captains door. I
looked in at the window, being so placed
in the dark that could do that without be-
ing seen. And saw Joshua Mech him
self open the door and walk in. Then I
knew that there was mischief brewing"
'tPleasancem he went on, after a pause,
during which he gasped with indignation;
'I knew that there was villainy. And I
wish I'd have put my car5ine at that open
window and let him have the charge in
his face, tho scoundrel!
"'Capt. Pollard, he says, looking more
like devil than human man, let alone
Dan Gulliver's nephew, i've come to lay
information
"sWhyr cries the captain. Informs
ton from you, Joshua Mech? Dick Tur-
pin will be laying information next. Or
perhaps Dan Gulliyer.' .
800 I,ys como to. Jay information, ssir,s.
against Dan CULVER
"'You? Against Dan Gulliver? What
Is the meaning of this? Why, man, you
are his partner! You are his nephewp
"I've come to lay information against
Dan CULVER repeated Joshua, with q
white face. was listening all the while,
you may be sure.
"sWhat.does it mean9 Have you quar-
releds'
":That does not matter to you, he re-
Piled, doggedly. I'm come with that
Information. Will you take it or will you
refuse it? If you do must 60 to the mayor
and lay it befor him.
"'Joshua Meech,' said the captain,
you are villain! You are black, foul
villain! Whether this is Ireachery or re-
venge you are double distilled scoun-
drelr
"Joshua Mech made no reply.
"T must take your information the
captain went on. 1T is my duty to take
it and act upon it. Most informers are
poor starving devils whose necessities
make them enact the part of the spy.
You have not that excuse. You are
bringing ruin upon your old uncle, the
man by whom you have been befriended
and enriched. 1t is revenge, suppose, for
some petty quarrel But such devilish re-
venge never heard of before. Go on
with your tale, blackguard and villain!'
"Ah, Pleasance, you all thought at the
trial that the captain gloried in what he
had done. Don't you believe that no
more. Only he had to do it, you know
it was his duty.
"Then Joshua Mech told how the run
over was to be that very night, how the
Dancing Polly was already gone, and
how she would return the next night.
"The captain took it all down.
"'Is that all" he asked.
UnThat is ALL said Joshua,
""Then 60. Do not breathe the air Of
this room with me! Great heavensr he
cried, starting to his feet, that such o
villain should live in this kingdom Of
England and call himself my fellow
countrymanl Gop
"There Pleasance; now you know ALL"
Yes; this was his revenge. This was
his plan to prevent me from marrying
viii. To make this impossible, or to defer
it, he had the incredible baseness to sacr1-
fee his uncle and his cousins. Was it
possible, could any one have believed that
a man could be SO wicked?
I sat all that day meditating revenge,
thinking in what way could most injure
this man. One wild plan after another
suggested itself to me. would set fire to
his mill. I would secretly destroy the
trees in his orchard. would put stone
in the wheels of his mill. Iwould 60 into
the town and tell everybody.
Nothing, however, satisfied me. Re-
venge never does satisfy. If his mill was
burned, he would build it up again; but
that would not give me back Dan, and the
boys, and Will and the Dancing Polly. He
could repair any mischief could do him.
Even if 1 whispered it round in Lyme
Regis that he was the informer, he would
deny it, and I had no proof because John
Beer was bound to silence. What then
could do?
In the evening, still brooding over the
revenge was to take, grew restless and
walked over the fields to the mill itself.
1t was a bright night; the valleys which
stretch away behind Lyme lay all bathed
in beautiful moonlight; everything was
peaceful and quiet, except the heart
of the girl who went along the
lonely way. She met no one, she saw
nothing; her soul was full of an inextin-
guishable craving for vengeance; she was
like tigress bereft Of her cubs.
The mill stood alone in it's field, silent,
and backed by the black depths of its
shadows and the woods. The top of the
big wheel could be made out standing
clear against the sky. Beneath it poured
the waters of the leat, which in the day
time worked the wheel.
I stole like q shadow through the or
chard; on the other side, away from the
mill, was linney, or penthouse, where
Joshua's wagon was kept. I sat down
on the broad wheel Of the wagon, trying
to put my disordered thoughts into
some sort of shape. I hungered for re-
venge; longed to make him suffer.
had come here to feel near to the man on
whom was going to work revenge.
He was on the other side of the wall,
thought He was chuckling, no doubt,
over the end of my love story-laughing
to think that my lover was serving before
the mast OH one OF his majesty's ships
for three long years. Oh, villain!
1t was something to be near him, to feel
that one could even kill him If one had
the strength-that alone was wanting; to
think that close to hiuxone could execute
whatever the mind could conceive.
Presently, rs listened, heard voices.
Some one was with him then. I crept
from the penthouse and steppe lightly
over the narrow flower bed which stood
beneath the window. The shutter was
closed, but one knew what sort of a shut
ter would be that of Joshua's cottage at
the mill In fact, it was not even barred,
and there was hole in it, through which
I saw what was going on. The visitor
was our old friend Mr.. Mallock, justice Of
the peace. and he was talking in his mag
isterial way.
''Quite a providence, Joshua'-he
wagged his head till his purple cheeks
shook and wabbled-'that you were able
to rescue the cargo. Quite providence.
At one time thought should be able to
dismiss the charge, but it was impossible.
Poor old Dan! Poor boys! Who was the
villain that informed?"
81 wish we knew, sir.''
Il wish we did, with all my heart. He
would get warm reception at Lyme,
promise him so much. However-three
years-it IS long time. You may send
me, Joshua, at the old price-ah!-twenty
kegs-yes, I think I had better secure
what I can get. Twenty kegs. Dear me!
They can come tomorrow morning in -four
sacks. will pay for them now"
There was a great counting out of
money on the table. When Joshua was
satisfied that it was all right, he put it up
in little bag, and promised to bring the
brandy next morning.
Then the worthy justice of the peace re-
tired. slipped back to my place of con-
cealment while Joshua accompanied his